Ethereal Shadows (Bts x reader) <On Hiatus>

60

Y/N's POV
Hm? Isn't that Taehyung?

Again, it was deep into the wee hours of the night. I had my mask on and was about to go for my nightly training session. It is a habit that I had built since a long time ago. It had been the same for many consecutive nights.

But tonight, it seemed once again, different. Ever since they've entered my life, they've completely thrown it off course. Previously, I met with Jungkook and then Jin. Apparently, tonight is the time of Taehyung.
I'm not unhappy about it though. I'm glad to share the lonely night with them.

There, Taehyung stood. Standing by the edge of the pool with the artificial lights illuminating his bare face. It was a breathtaking sight to behold.
Quieting down my steps, I decided to discard my training just for one night to accompany him by the pool. I couldn't help but be lured into his gaze as he looked deeply into the waters. The night was silent, with only the faint sounds of the crickets that managed to get inside, chirping.

Wordlessly, I stood by him staring directly in front of me. I didn't turn my head to look at him even as I saw by the corner of my eye that he turned to look at me briefly.
I focused firmly in front.

A comfortable silence settled between us before Taehyung started to speak.

"What are you doing here?"

"Night training. I saw you here and decided to come." I paused for a second. "You seemed troubled."

He nodded.
"I've a lot going on in my mind."

I kept mum, waiting for him to continue.

"It's about Jungkook."

I blinked, a little taken aback.
Jungkook? Why? Is something—? Oh.

"Something's wrong with him. He's been acting weird ever since we've arrived here. I know him well enough to know that he's hiding something. Something's not right. And I don't know what." He took in a deep breath.

"Earlier I caught him talking to himself. I heard him mumble to himself about something being imaginary. I wanted to ask him about it more persistently but I was terrified as well. I was afraid of ruining the friendship we have if I pushed too far. I was scared of harming his feelings. And I'm afraid that even if he does tells me, I wouldn't know what to do! So I chickened out, like a freaking baby! I used Namjoon hyung's calling as an escape. I knew he was going through something at that moment, but I left! I left him there. Alone." Taehyung vented, sounding incredibly distressed.

Taehyung squatted down, his fingers tangled in his hair. "I saw it. I saw how hard he tried to hold his tears in and yet I—" A few stray tears rolled down his beautiful face.

Squatting down beside him, I ruffled his hair a little. I didn't know what to say, and now I understood what he feared. After pouring out yourself to another, what should the other do?
I didn't know either. And thus, I did the most instinctive thing, I pulled Taehyung into a warm comforting embrace. I've completely disregarded the wet floor or the moistness that was starting to settle into my shirt.
We stayed in each other's arms tacitly for many long minutes before Taehyung broke away gently from my arms and sat himself down onto the wet grounds.

Following suit, I too settled myself by his side onto the grounds, completely ignoring seeping water from the pool.

I dipped my hand into the cool pool waters below, gracefully and slowly. I turned to him once again. "You still seem bothered by something else."

He smiled.
"Yeah."

I looked at him in slight confusion. Why was he smiling?

As if hearing my thoughts, Taehyung continued to speak slowly, after calming considerably from earlier.
"I'm just trying to adjust to the new environment."